Date: July 11, 1991
Time: 08:40
Location: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Operator: Nationair (chartered by Nigeria Airways)
Flight #: 2120
Route: Jeddah - Sokoto
AC Type: McDonnell Douglas DC-8 Super 61
Registration: C-GMXQ
cn / ln: 45982/345
Aboard: 261 (passengers:247 crew:14)
Fatalities: 261 (passengers:247 crew:14)
Summary: After taking off, fire was reported in the landing gear well. The aircraft crashed while trying to return to the airport. Loss of hydraulics and electrical systems after a fire, started in the wheel when two tires disintegrated due to under inflation of one tire. This caused a fire which ignited years of accumulated flammables in the DC-8's wheel well leading to an uncontroable fire. The plane was allowed to leave with an under inflated tire. Twenty minutes prior to departure, the Nationair lead mechanic made a request for nitrogen to inflate the low tire. Nitrogen was not readily available and a delay would probably have occur procuring it. The Nationair project manager, without conferring with the flight crew, released the plane.